1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to the drilling of oil and gas wells, and, more particularly, to the setting of a compression set packer in such wells.
2. Description of the Related Art
The use of a compression set packer within a well to isolate various regions of a formation for selective production is well known in the industry. Traditionally, the setting of a compression set packer within a well has required the manipulation of a pipe string to which the compression set packer is attached.
The setting of a compression set packer using the aforementioned pipe string manipulation method requires the generation of approximately one-quarter turn of the pipe string at the location of the compression set packer within the well. Depending on the depth of the well and the configuration of the well, this requirement for a quarter-turn of the pipe string at the compression set packer may require approximately four to five turns of the pipe string at the well platform. The problem is even greater with respect to deviated wells, wherein the number of turns required at the platform to generate a one-quarter turn at the compression set packer may be greater.
Additionally, as is well known to those skilled in the art, in the drilling of sub sea wells, a plurality of control lines, typically hydraulic lines, are run from the sub sea well head located at the ocean floor to the offshore drilling platform. These lines are typically coupled to the drill pipe as a compression set packer is lowered into the well for setting at the appropriate location. However, given the presence of these hydraulic lines, the rotation of the pipe string is undesirable during the traditional technique of setting the compression set packer in that it may lead to tangling of the lines or damage to the lines.
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus that solves or reduces some or all of the aforementioned problems.